At UNT, our students, alumni, faculty and staff explore creative ways to make the world a better place. Sometimes that means traveling abroad as part of the volunteer tourism industry to help global communities with infrastructure development. Other times, it means using the skills honed in programs like computer science, logistics, and emergency management and disaster science to ensure communities and businesses can recover from catastrophic events. And in other cases, it means using geographic information systems to help make decisions for the real estate markets and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Our alums in particular have shown a deep commitment to improving the world around them. Take for instance Damon West ('99), a former Mean Green football player whose descent into drugs, and path to recovery, led him to help others in similar situations. Or Hassan Bawab ('03), who helps fellow Arab Americans preserve and promote their culture as president of the Arab American Cultural Society. Or Robert ('09, '11 M.S.) and Lauren Penn ('09), who make the Denton community sweeter with their tasty, all-natural Frios pops.

No matter how big or small the gesture, the UNT community believes there's always a way to make everyone's life just a little bit better. Do you have your own example of a UNT family member who's changing the world? Email us at northtexan@unt.edu.